The followers of Wonder Woman film series have something to look forward to as a new movie is in the works. Nevertheless, not everyone is enthusiastic about the reunion. Paramount Pictures has made public that Patty Jenkins, the director of Wonder Woman, along with Gal Gadot, the lead actress portraying the superhero, will join forces for a new flick called Cleopatra.
Gal Gadot’s casting as Cleopatra sparked a range of reactions online. While it is known that Cleopatra was born in Egypt, her lineage can be traced back to Macedonian Greece. This led to discussions on whether an African, Middle Eastern or European actor would be the best fit for the role, especially since Gadot identifies as Israeli.
Hollywood is receiving backlash from Twitter users who are dissatisfied with their casting choices, alleging whitewashing. A particular user raised the issue of why no Egyptian actresses were chosen to play the role of an Egyptian queen. Another Twitter user slammed the industry for not casting someone with a complexion darker than a brown paper bag if they aimed for historical accuracy. Many others including Morgan Jerkins share the same sentiment and hope that the chosen actress will have a darker complexion.
Another person named Sameera Khan shared her thoughts on the topic, believing that Hollywood made an unwise choice in casting an Israeli actress for the role of Cleopatra. She pointed out that the chosen actress doesn’t even bear much resemblance to the historical figure. According to Khan, an Arab actress like Nadine Njeim would have been a more suitable choice instead.
At the 2020 Oscars, Gal Gadot made a statement with her gorgeous outfit on the red carpet. Nevertheless, there have been discussions revolving around her portrayal of Cleopatra, particularly about the ethnicity of the iconic Egyptian queen. While some believe that Cleopatra was of Greco-Macedonian descent, the identity of her mother has yet to be revealed, which still gives rise to some uncertainties. Despite this controversy, some people have criticized Gadot’s selection for the role, while others have pointed out that Cleopatra herself was Greek. In contrast, actor Nazanin Boniadi has taken a different stance and encouraged individuals to direct their attention towards more pressing global problems instead of focusing on this topic.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/lanacionpy/XI7S7PTW7JEYLGQ3UILUBXWLDI.jpg)
Some of Gadot’s supporters believe that her portrayal of Cleopatra should not be questioned because previous portrayals were played by non-Egyptian actors like Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor. Some fans even accused critics of being “anti-Semitic” towards Gadot, who is of Jewish descent. However, Egyptologist Sofia Aziz raised concerns about the accuracy of the film’s depiction of Cleopatra. Aziz expressed hope that the movie will accurately portray the historical figure rather than only focusing on the men in her life.
Efforts to reach out to Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins for a comment by E! News have been unfruitful. Gal Gadot, who was recently ranked as the third highest-paid actress in 2020, can be seen in the trailer for Wonder Woman 1984. The film is now set to release on December 25, 2020. In a May interview with Parade, Gadot shared her excitement about portraying Wonder Woman and how it has been an incredible experience for her. However, the actress also confessed to feeling nervous about taking on the lead role since she had never been a title character before. For Gadot, it was essential to portray a character that is significant and contributes something positive to the world. So far, it has been a gratifying journey for her.
